The Florida Panthers are leading the way with camp invitations, signing center Josh Lopina and winger Daniel Walcott to professional try-outs.
The Panthers have now invited wingers Noah Gregor and Tyler Motte, as well as defenseman Ben Harpur, bringing their number of PTOs up to five.
Lopina, 24, was a fourth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2021 who has spent the last three seasons in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls. Lopina has scored 20 goals and 44 points in 203 games, including a career high of 14 goals and 23 points in the 2023-24 season.
Standing 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, Lopina won a National Championship with UMass in 2021.
Walcott, 31, is a long-time veteran in the AHL, playing in 495 games. The former 2014 fifth-round pick of the New York Rangers has scored 56 goals and 147 points with the Syracuse Crunch, the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s AHL affiliate. Walcott has skated in one NHL game in his career, which was against the Panthers during the 2020-21 season, where he recorded a fight against defenseman Kevin Connauton.
Lopina and Walcott would be long shots to make the Panthers roster, but could be signed to AHL or two-way contracts to increase the depth within their farm team, the Charlotte Checkers. After three long seasons, the Panthers would like to dress their veterans for as few games as possible in pre-season. Signing players to PTO’s will allow them to dress different lineups and keep them fresh.
